modifacations w/o hurting value

[chris mc bride]

IM GOING TEDOING FEW MODS TO MY 69 PANEL. I want to update it some and make it more comfortable for trips. I dont want to do anything to hurt value of it,althought they are not as hot as old pickups sale wide they are still very limited numbers of them around.
I plan to lower it littleupgrade suspenion,install turbo 400 or built 700r4 and new wheels and tires,that the outside other than of coarse new paint and bodywork. Inside I plan to have buckets front,rear bench or captians chairs(still undecided) panel and upholstered sides and roof,with either oak or working on a Brazilian cherry floor(woods almost free).I have extensive stereo planed with 4 rear,door,dash and custom console speakers with 3 amps. Plus rearair out of astro van(free also). New instruments and custom steering wheel and colum.
While mods are costly and extensive everything can be changed back with out any surgery to truck and I will not be cuting,removing or welding anything new on other than repairs.
So if this can all be changed back fairly easily would any of this realy hurt reslae value of truck as a classic.

[vectorit]

My opinion has always been, if you are concerned about hurting value to something no matter what it is - do things that can be reversed easily.

Aside from doing something like chopping the roof, you are not going to be in any trouble to put it back to the way it was from the factory if you or a new owner decided to go that route again.

But then, it is your truck and you have all the right in the world to do what ever you want to it.

But, I'm wondering. Are you building it to sell some day, or are you just having fun with it? If you are building something for later sale/profit, then I would just go that route (profit) straight off. Since reversing a lot of work can be costly, which cuts into any profit you hope to gain in the future.

Modified rigs can bring more money than the bone stock ones at times too.

Just my thought.

[chris mc bride]

Being built to enjoyBut you never know when you'll have no choice but sale your toys. It the sucky part of that acting like adult thing. Beleive me most would tell you that with me its a act too.

[Dieselwrencher]

I think the modifications I'm doing to my truck will literally double the value of what it would have been as a stock survivor. But that's just me.

[AzDon]

I think the most valuable examples of ANY of these trucks are properly-built, but extensively "updated". These trucks new were..... trucks! They weren't built to be quiet, comfortable, or have good driving manners, they were built for utility!
Look at street rods versus restored originals.... How many owners of restored model t's actually drive them hundreds of miles to an event? Sure, restored might be worth more, but isn't personal enjoyment while you own it worth something?

[vectorit]

My burb is restored to 1968 Chevrolet K20 spec, and I tell ya it is very tempting to upgrade things. Especially after the last show I drove her to, on the way home my OEM drum brakes had a shoe drag all the way home in the 100+ degree weather.

Burned half a tank of fuel, and kept looking out the rear views for smoke the whole trip home.

Made it home, and the rear wheel well felt like a just opened oven cooking a roast at 400 degrees for an hour!

Thought real hard about upgrading the drums again to discs, but now I am laughing at the whole thing. Since this stuff is all original design, and it is all part of the burbs character.

If it was easy, everyone would do it.

[chris mc bride]

Id have to change the drums to disc. I freaking hate changing brake shoes,pads are just so damn quick and easy. Its big expence but I will be doing it.Ill just shelve the old stuff in case needed later. Heck whats one more item in my already oversized understuffed garage(yea thats backwards). Need the 50x100 building I paid for with US Steel buildings and never got. Heck the 18000.00 they got for half anf then wouldn't ship under any circumstance would redo this truck and have cash to spare.
Sorry still little pissed over that deal.
Back to something fun building things racecars,trucks ,motorcycles and a house or two for income would be nice,

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[dougo]

i was at the barrett jackson auction a couple weeks back and amazed at how much some lightly moded cars and trucks went for. seems that there is a buyer for anything, as long as its tastefully done and not overdone. i think getting it to a stage where you can enjoy it, and its what you want, will provide good, fun, times. mine is not perfect or show quality, and has some slight mods. and i use it for towing, snow, etc. i say do what you want and enjoy it.

[capev86]

I upgrade my 72 burb c20 in ways that look factory....will be changing from sport mirrors to more user friendly tripod mirrors and adding teardrop roof lights from my dad's 72 burb. otherwise the body is staying completely as it came from factory (except for minor rust repairs).

on the inside i have added the tach and vacuum gage to the cluster since empty spots are just wasted real estate. seats will keep their original upholstery (except for some patches...gotta order the cloth material) and i plan to add a third row done up to match.

the big changes are underneath....lots of stuff from CPP....sway bars, poly bushings, improved style tie-rod adjusters, and billet/poly carrier bearing, etc. i have braided stainless brake hoses for piece of mind. most people upgrade for looks or the cool factor. i prefer the sleeper approach....tweak what is already there without messing with outward appearance.

Vectorit....I don't think it would hurt your truck to upgrade to front disc, especially if you use parts from a 71-72 K20 truck and keep it all GM. the brakes are hidden and a consumable part anyway. i think anything newer than a Model A needs good brakes and if the manufacturer has provided a bolt on improvement on a newer or sportier model....I'm all for it (and have done it before).

[vectorit]

Originally Posted by capev86

Vectorit....I don't think it would hurt your truck to upgrade to front disc, especially if you use parts from a 71-72 K20 truck and keep it all GM. the brakes are hidden and a consumable part anyway. i think anything newer than a Model A needs good brakes and if the manufacturer has provided a bolt on improvement on a newer or sportier model....I'm all for it (and have done it before).

I am actually looking at getting rid of the drum brakes, but I am picky about how I go about it.

I want to keep the original axles, and just convert the drums to discs.
I have found conversion kits for this, but I want to get end user experiences in going through the conversion and how the end result was.

These kits are made specifically for the Eaton, and the closed knuckle D44 front axle.

The brakes on my burb have been a headache for as long as I can remember, and now as of late I am putting serious thought into getting rid of them but still be able to keep my original axles.

[capev86]

that sucks you can't reuse the axle. what are the differences? maybe you can have it adapted or holes drilled or whatever it needs to do the conversion? i know on 2wd's all you have to do is change the knuckles out. one reason i bought a 72 was because it already had disc! i'm not a big fan of aftermarket kits....especially the rear kits that don't have a proper drum e-brake (or no parking brake at all).

it might be ok on a hot rod pickup that doesn't see regular use. but on my full size truck i only want factory GM heavy duty brakes where i can go to the local store and buy replacement parts when needed instead of having to send away for custom pieces.

i wouldn't bother with changing the rear brakes over to disc. having disc on the front is all you need for that night and day difference. the rear drums are huge and plenty powerful on our 3/4 ton trucks.

[chris mc bride]

I dont think the braking part is his main reason for wanting to change. I might have read over something but I think is biggest issue was dependablity and maybe being easier to workon could be a deciding factor.
Personaly I wouldn't think twice about it .If the money was on hand I swap to disc in second. I bought the disc conversion for my panel second item.First was body panels I know have to be replaced. I figure to replace brakes and all suspenion when the body is off to strip and paintthe frame. Just wish I could get all parts sooner,having all this new stuff laying around and not putting to use is killing me.

[bruin_d]

I'll be honest, I could give 2 sheets about what someone else thinks about the value of my Burb is. Everything I do to it is to make it more valuable to me. Like my dad has always said, its only worth what someone is going to pay for it. That's just my $.02.